Wolf's Rain Fan Fiction ❯ Blood Against White ❯ The White Wolf ( Chapter 1 )

Blood Against White

Chapter 1: The White Wolf

Risa stared blankly at the image in front of her. A huge white wolf lay on the ground in front of her, laying almost lifelessly in the snow. She could see the wolf breathe shallowly, its chest raising slowly and deflating with each breath. A dark puddle of blood beneath it that grew steadily larger each second. She watched it quietly, her pastel blue eyes flickering occasionally. Risa pulled her hood down and edged towards it nervously, leaving small footprints in the powder behind her. She knelled down carefully next to it and gasped when she saw blood pouring from a wound on it's shoulder and how it had soaked into his fur. She leaned in closer to get a better look at the injury, but a soft growl froze her in place. The wolf's head lifted a few inches off the ground and turned up towards her. It barred it's blood stained fangs and snarled at her. She jumped back slightly and her eyes widened when she saw it try to get onto its feet with blood still emitting from the wound. It took a few steps then collapsed. She bit her lip as she gazed on, it tried to get up again, but was having no success. As it tried to get up again she rushed to its side, "Here," she said as gently as she could, helping it up by having its weight against her shoulder, "I know you probably don't want me help, but you shouldn't have to suffer like this."

The wolf growled again, but didn't bare it's fangs at her. She seemed slightly taken aback by the wolf's cooperation, but she pressed on with the wolf while it began to snow. Snowflakes clung to her long black hair which was up in a high ponytail and the coldness stung her cheeks, making them red like peppermints. They progressed slowly, her eyes sometimes glancing at the wolf who was taking in sharp breathes. He looks like he's in a lot of pain, she thought reverting her eyes away, I hope Ichiko will be able to help him.

A small town appeared on the horizon. A few houses appeared and one tall dark rock made monument shaped like a pyramid reached towards the sky. The sun started to peek over the snow clouds and the remaining clouds cast light shadows on the newly fresh snow. They made their way into the town at a slow pace. The houses were old and crumbling. Their roofs had holes in them and some of the windows were broken. They finally stopped in front of a small cottage like house that had a huge ancient oak tree in the front of it that looked withered with time and had dead leaves beneath it.

She carefully shifted the weight of the wolf off of her and put him on the ground, "Stay here," she whispered taking the silver hair band out of her hair and letting her hair drape around her shoulders, "I'll be back with someone who can help clan you up." She disappeared into the cottage pulling the navy blood stained gloves off of her small hands. In the cottage was a circular table place in the center with three wooden chairs arranged around it. In the corner were three cots that had thin wool blankets on them and feathery pillows placed at the head. On the other side was a an old stove next to some cabinets and a small counter. A middle aged woman was standing at the counter with her back to Risa. Her graying brown hair was up in a messy bun and she was wearing a patched and tattered dress with a dirty white apron tied around her waist. "Ichiko!" Risa said running up next to her.

The woman looked at Risa with dark eyes and some wrinkle lines on her face, "Yes, Risa?" Ichiko stared curiously at the fifteen-year-old girl.

"Can you still treat animal wounds?" Risa asked in an eager voice.

Ichiko nodded, "Yes of course, what do you need? What happened?" She noted the girl's flushed and rosy cheeks, something was obviously up, Risa appeared out of breathe and tired as well.

"I found a big dog about a mile away from town," Risa said, "I think it's a wolf or something…anyway, it's hurt. Can you take a look at it?"

"A wolf?" Ichiko raised an eyebrow, "A wolf hasn't been sighted for over two hundred years. I'm sure its just a big dog. Wolves are extinct Risa." That was the logical explanation.

Risa shrugged, "Whatever, can you help it?" She pleaded and gave the woman the sad puppy eyes that no one could say no to. Her large liquid eyes begged Ichiko more then words could ever do.

Ichiko rolled her eyes at Risa, "Fine, show me this 'wolf', then." A wolf, she thought shaking her head, that must be the craziest story I've ever heard, there aren't any wolves anymore.

Risa hurried outside and stood next to the wolf. It had stayed where she had told it to, "See." She pointed at the injury which was covered in blood.

Ichiko stopped mid-stride when her eyes fell onto the wolf. She had been skeptical of what Risa had told her, but when she saw how big it was, she knew it was indeed a wolf. "Oh my…" escaped her lips as she continued towards it, a rush in her step. "It can't be…" Her eyes fixed fearfully upon it.

"So?" Risa said tilting her head to one side and shuffling her feet. Concern was written all across her face.

Ichiko glanced up at the girl, snapping out of her transfixed horror, "What?" Never had she seen anything like this wolf, in fact, she'd never seen a wolf before.

"Can you help it?" Risa pressed dryly, putting her hands into her red hoodie's front pocket and twiddling her thumbs dumbly. "Will you help it?" There has to be some way to help it, Risa thought fidgeting a bit.

"Possibly...I mean yes," she replied rubbing her hands together due to the fact that it was quite cold outside, "But you'll need to help me get it inside."

"Alright," Risa agreed, helping the wolf up once again, but this time with Ichiko's help so it didn't seem as heavy this time.

They brought the wolf inside of the fairly warm home and Ichiko placed one of the blankets on the ground in front of the stove inside the cottage and helped Risa place the wolf on it, "We need to keep it warm." she explained to Risa who was clearly worried as hell although she was trying to hide it.

"You can find out what type of injury it has, can't you?" Risa inquired furrowing her brows at the elder woman who was warming a bucket of water over the stove with a towel over her shoulder.

"It's a gunshot wound," Ichiko stated when the water began boiling. She put the bucket next to Risa who was sitting cross-legged next to the white wolf. "Soak the towel in this and dab the wound to heal any infection and clean the wound." she ordered bossily, "I need to see if we have any bandages."

"Me?" Risa said looking at her in disbelief, "You're the doctor. I don't know what I'm doing."

"It's easy," Ichiko said thrusting the blue towel into Risa's hands, "It's simple. Just do it."

"Alright." Risa dipped the towel into the hot water then placed it over the wound and began wiping the blood away, which there was a lot of. The wolf winced slightly as the hot touch of the water on the towel met his wound, but endured it. Risa tended the injury while Ichiko looked through some cabinets for bandages. Risa cleaned the fur and for the first time noticed how purely white his fur was. It glimmered in the candlelight just like snow does when the sun was out. It's gleaming golden eyes stared off into the distance, they were an absolutely lovely gold. Only one word reached her mind to describe this white wolf: beautiful. All his attributes were perfect, his muscles that were once tense, were now relaxed and his eyes eventually closed. She smiled as she finished up and dabbed away the last bit of imperfect crimson off of him.

"He cleaned up well," Ichiko said admiringly, placing bandages around his shoulder blade in a delicate manner as to not disturb him in what state of peace he was in. His eyebrow muscles twitched as she wrapped the bandages around him, but he didn't wake.

"Why would someone shot something so beautiful?" Risa asked throwing the towel into the bucket of now lukewarm water.

"I don't know, I just don't know." Ichiko seemed thoughtful for a moment, but dismissed the subject, "Go find your sister, dinner will be in about an hour." She walked over to the counter and busied herself with taking ingredients out of the cabinets.

"What about the wolf?" Risa said with a twinge of concern. She stroked the wolf's fur lightly to find it surprisingly coarse yet soft at the same time, an odd mix of texture brushed against her fingers,

"What about it?" Ichiko repeated after her.

"We should leave some food out for it." Risa suggested, "It will get hungry later."

Ichiko sighed, "My first concern is feeding you and your sister, then the wolf. Now go get Cho." Her bossy nature and tone was not to be trifled with and Risa knew this.

Risa groaned as she got unto her feet, but left, but was in no hurry. Her sister was a hyper active seven-year-old that literally bounced off the walls all the time although sugar was no where present in the cottage, Ichiko had made sure of that. Risa narrowed her eyes when a mental picture of her sister flashed in front of her eyes, Cho looked so much like their mother…the dark brown hair and the deep emerald eyes and what did Risa look like? Her goddamn bastard of a father. She had his light blue eyes, straight black hair, small nose, his thin eyebrows and pale skin. The only thing she had gotten from her mother was her hands, her small hands with the most slender fingers, but she wished she looked more like her mother and sister. Every time she ever stared at her reflection she'd see her father…she hated it…

Clouds passed slowly overhead and the sun began setting after melting most of the snow on the dirt ground. The sky was now painted a mixture of pink, dark purple and glowing orange and resembled a masterful piece of art. One that was pretty to look at when you first see, but get boring and respective day after day you saw it.

Inside the cottage, Ichiko's eyes traveled down to the wolf who appeared to be sleeping. "You're lucky Risa is compassionate for animals, if she hadn't brought you here you could have possibly bleed to death in the wilderness." She knew the wolf had heard her for he stirred a little in place.

With all the blood gone and the tranquil expression on it's face, it really did look beautiful in the flickering candlelight. Beautiful, but morbid…

~**~**~

Well…that was interesting to write. ^-^ I feel better now that I actually wrote/typed (whatever you call it) something. Well, what do ya'll think? Review please! Although flames would be evil and soul shattering…so instead of flames…*drum roll* CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, would be nice.

Kiba: The disclaimer is essential Phoenix. Don't want anyone mistaking that you own Wolf's Rain ,now do we?

Phoenix: ^o^ Hehe…*kicks self* ^.~ I don't own anything alright. (though it'd be awesome!!!) =^.^= Mreow! And what of that pyramid in the town? *insert Megumi fox laugh* You'll have to read to find out what will happen next! And until then…

Kiba: You'll die.

Phoenix: ^__^ Ah, Kiba you're such a joker.

Kiba: >.<;; I'm being serious you stupid human girl.

Phoenix: *glomps Kiba* Love you too buddy! ^-^ SO, uNtIl ThEn…

Rock 'n' roll,

Phoenix the authoress *pumps fist into air*